Furnace-charging apparatus.



.E. A. RUDOLF -& w.w. DOOLITTLE.

FURNAC CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICTIUN FlLED` IAN. 6| |914- I Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

UNI

@NNI

.NNI

E. A. RUDOLF & W. W. DOOLITTLE.

FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 6 1914.

Patented Mar. 28, 1916.

M6? 6 6g Lr/P 5 7 m1 I l l- Y* y O m p 6 l a. m 6.@ w @u fn-- 5 w 5 i el. 7 1E .E. A. RUDOLF & W. W. DOOLITTLE.

` FURNACE CHARGING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.6. m4.

1,177,143. Patented Mar. 28,1916.

M5365.' dem..

EUGENE A. RUDOLF AND WILLIAM DOOLITTLE, TO CRANE CO1\([IP,A1\TY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION F ILLINOIS.

EURNAcE-CHARGING APPEIMI'IUS.r

lSpecification of Letters Patent.

-Application led January 6, 1914.4 Serial No. 810,570.

ATo all lwhom it may concern Be it known that we, EUGENE A. RUDOLF andWVILLIAM W. DooLrr'rLE, citizens of the United States, and both residingat Chicago, In thecounty of Cook and State'of Illinois, have mventedvcertain new and useful Improvements in Furnace-Charging Apparatus, ofwhichthe following is a full, clear,

and exactspeciication, reference being had` to the accompanyingdrawings. y

Our mvention has reference to apparatus for charging blast furnaces, orthe like; and

it has for'its primary objects the provision of an improved furnacecharging apparatus, wherein the charge may be quickly delivered andunloaded at the Icharging door of the furnace, and the empty'chargecontainer or skip readily retracted therefrom; the provision in afurnace charging apparatus of cooperating charge receiving and conveyingmeans adapted to deliver the `charge to the furnace, wherein theconveying means has easy and positive movement along the chargingfloor-to advance the charge container to points directly over thecharging hole or door of the furnace, and wherein the rec-nving means'has movement relative to the conveying means whereby to unload thecharge; and the provision in a furnace charging apparatus of rthe'character just specified, of means fcadvancing and retracting theconvev' .g means and independently operable means for tilting thereceiving means, whereby the charge may be unloaded into the furnace ata time when the conveying means is brought to a standstill at anydesired point over the charging door, or while it is in movement.

Our invention also contemplates certain novel details of constructionand arrangementof parts for guiding and 'controlling the linear andaxial movement of the charge receiving carrier, and'in a manner toobtain the highest degree of ease and efficiency in the unloadingoperation of the apparatus.

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may hereinafterappear, or are incidental to our invention, we obtain by means of aconstruction illustrated in preferred form in the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of one form of apparatus embodyingl ourinvent1on, and

0E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, As'sIGIvo'Rs' f Patented Mar. es, 191e.

illustrating its application to the cupola of a furnace F igures 2 and 3are front and rearend'` elevations of the showing in Figure l;

ure l .Figure 5 is an enlarged view of the charge.

recelvmg carrier shown at the left ofFigureA I d yl; and,

Figure 6 1s a transverse section through Figure 5 and taken on the lineVI-VI in` the direction indicated by the arrows..I

application of one embodiment Vcharge container or skip B up an incline,

or by means of an elevator (not shown), to y the charging platformC,"which latter leads, to the charging door or holel) of the cupola A,and is provided with the tracks, E which are flush with the floor andterminate adjacent the rim of the hole D.

Our invention particularly 4.resides in the charging apparatus, of'whichthe means for receIvIng the skip after Its arrival on the `platfornr C,and for conveying it tothe charging door D for unloading will now bedescribed.

The conveying means or carrier is indicated as a whole at F inFigure l,and is provided with a'frame comprising the vertically extending andrearwardly inclined side members 7, 7, and 8, 8, respectively,

- each pair of intersecting members 7 and v8 being rigidly fastenedtogether intermediate their ends as 1n the manner Indicated at 9 inFigures 5 and 6.

Figure 4 represents a plan v'view of Fig'- The vertical side members 7,7, have their -upper ends. connected together4 by the trans versebar l0,and their lower forked ends y are provided with bearings lll, l1, inwhich are journaled the wheels 12, 12, for travel-,-

along the platform tracks E.

Similarlyf;

the other component members lS. of -the, frame are joined together attheir upper,V

ends by the transverse bars .13. By means' of this construction andarrangement of the parts a strong and r1g1d carrler frame 1s obtained.

The diagonal side `nenflbers 8, 8, which inf eline upwardly fro;` apoint forward of the" members 7, 7, to ap .aint well to the rear and icolos

abovethem, are lpreiieraioly constructed of commercial shaped iron of'.channel section, and have at theirupper terminals stop brackets or arms14, 14, which carry the axle 'ofthe wheels 15, 15, that are provided totravel along and between the short overhead guides or tracks 16. rFliesetracks, preferably channel irons, `may be supportedor suspended in i,anydesiredmannen depending upon local 10i conditions, or as in themanner indicated in Figure 1 where the tracks16 have their inf ner endscarried in the side ofthe building,

and have their `free ends supportedby vertical side bars -17 from thesuperstructure 4which may include the channel irons 1T, 17,

extending between theI beams, .which 'latter 'are intendedto-be'carriedin the walls of the building. l

, As theskip-'containingf the charge reaches the-platform, at the rightofFigure f1, it 'enters into and is received ybya box-like receiv'ingframe in the carrier, indicated as a whole'- at H in' Figure 1, whichreceiving frame is disposedgto Veiten'd longitudinally andintermediatel-y of Ithe lower ends of the main-frame of the'v'carrier Fand 4by which it is carried. The box-like. frame, the con-V struction ofwhich is perhaps better shown in Figures 4g, '5 and .6, comprises theside plates 1 8 provided lwith the angle irons 1S) whichconstitute'upper and lower guiding tracks for' the wheels of the skip,the bottom plate 20,'and thel forward en'd plate 21, both V bottomv andend plates'being suitably fastened Ato the side plates.' The topand rearendsof the ,boXfH are both open;

previously indicated, our invention Contemplates that the 2 skip'receiving device H be carried in the carrier F and capable of a tiltingimovement with respect to the carrier iframe. With this end in view, therear end` of the -bo'X'iHlis hung from the side frame 4'nnmbers 7 ,7 bymeans of the side lugs or stop pieces 22, 22, which project outwardlyfrom the sides of, the box tobear or restg upon the -oppositely*`extending abutments 23, 23, formed on the 'lower ends of the sidemembers 7, 7, as best shown in Figure 3.

The front end of the ,boX H is pivotally suspended or carried from thelower ends ot 'thediagonal side members 8 in the' manner indicated inFigure 5, wherein bearing brack- 'ets 2l"and25, connected by pivot pins26,

are respectively mounted on the' side of the box and, on'the adjacentend of the side member 8, and at both sides of the carrier.

Itv will be apparent from the 'descriptionl thus 'far' made, that theapplication of a force tending to lift the rear end of the boxwillmoveit on an arc, the axis of this'movement being at the line of the pins 26at the for- 'ward end of the box. While this tilting Pmovement is' ofcourse communicated to the skip so, that lthe charge` thereiny may bedumped.' through its open frontend, it will be clear that any movementof the skip relative to the box is prevented by the 'frontplate 21 andangleslQ.

. In order -to impart movement to the carrier F along and between itsparallel tracks for the purpose of delivering its charge and returningthe then empty sliip, we provide the connected levers 2'( which arepivotally suspended at 28 from the'ci'olss beams 17,

and are .vibratedlabont the pivotal point 28 Aby the piston 29 of anysuitable reciprocating means,. such as the iiuid operated device in#dicated at K. -The tonnel-fro motion thus quentlythe open front end ofthe `skip may imparted to the levers-27 is in turn transsionotheA wheelslwhich travel along and are guided `by the overhead tracks. Conse.

be brought to a point well over and beyond Athe axis of the chargingdoor orhole D for the'purpose of spreading or properly distributing thecharge,'in which lcase the set of parallel tracks cooperate to maintainthe carrier in its proper horizontal relation. v The means` for tiltingthe box H and with it the skip will now be described. A. suit-f'ablereciprocating means, such-ias the liuid operated device M, ispreferably carried on the'levers 27 and pivotally mounted" at its upperend intermediatethese members, and has its'piston-connected t0 a yokemember 81 whose arms have hubs 31a which fit loosely about bosses 32formed on the rear end of the box H.

The lair connections for the'reciproeatingA devices K and M are notshown, as they are' intended to separately-lead from these devices to'cocks or 'valves adjacently positioned in any desired location whichmay oil'er conveniencq'in operation, such location in each casedepending upon local conditions. e

The operation of the apparatus may be briefly described as follows :-Co'nsidering the carrier in retracted position as indicated in the dottedlines at the center of Figure 1, and carrying the loaded skip, ac-

ltuation of the air device K will impart movement to the carrier toadvance it toward 'the charging doorl) 'up' to the full extent of theforward movement of the piston rod 29h desired. The range f advance isentirely .within'the control of the operator, and the carrier may bestoppedl at any' suitable point over the hole. and the bOX tilted byoperating the air device M, or it may be tilted while the carrier isstill in movement over the chargingdool in order ioo to properly spreadthe charge contained in the skip, as will be readily understood. Reverseactuation of the air devices K and M returns the empty skip anditscarrierto the parting'frcm the spirit and scope of theV I invention asmore particularly pointed out in the appended claims. From theforegoing, the essential features, elements vand operation of theapparatus to- 'gether with its simplicityand other advanvapparent to.

tages thereof, will be. clearly those skilledin the art. l

i Having thus'described our invention and illustrated its use, -what weclaim as new land desire to'secure by Letters Patent, is thefollowing 1. A charge delivering device comprising a .frame having tworelativelyiixed axes of support, and wheels journale'd in said frame atthe respective axes and adapted to support the'front and rear ends ofthe frame,

the supporting axis for the front end of the frame being located aboveand tothe rear of the lrear supporting wheels, substantially asdescribed. n

2. In combination, a charge delivering device 'comprising a frame havingtwo fixed axes of support, wheels journaled in said frame at therespective axes and adapted to support the front and rear ends of theframe, anda guide means for the device, the

.supportingax-ifs for` the front end being lojcated above the rearsupporting axis and- 40Y having its wheel or wheels engaging the saidguide means.

3. In combination. a charge delivering device cc'inljr'isiiig al framehaving two axes of support, wheels journaled in said frame at therespective axes and adapted to support the front and rear ends of theframe, and means for imparting movement to the device, said means beingconnected with the frame at a 'point intermediate its said axes.

4; A furnace charging apparatus, consisting of a charge deliveringdevice provided l with wheels adjacent its rear end, a guidetrackmounted on a suitable support, means coperating therewith to support thevfront nd of the device comprising a member extending upwardly therefromto have a slidable engagement with said track, andmeans .for' advancingor retracting the device including as a member thereof a lever pivotedon said suppo-rt and having a link connection with said upwardlyextending member.

5. In combination, a charge delivering device provided 4with supportingwheels adjacent its rear end, a guide means mounted on asuitable-slippen above said device, a

rigid connecting member extending from ,tle device to slidably engagethe said guide means, and coperating therewith to guide and sustain thevforward end of the device in suspended relation and substantially in thesame plane as that of its supported rear end, a relatively movablecharge receiving member disposed within the delivering device andpivoted in its suspended forward end for tilting movement to unload thecharge, and a positive means for imparting reciprocative movement to thedelivering device.

7. In furnace charging apparatus, a charge delivering device supportedadiacent its rear end for travel .along the charging platform, meansdisposed above the platform for suspending the front end of the deviceand guiding the same in its travel to overhang the charging hol-e of thefurnace, a relatively movable charge receiving member normally disposedin a hori'vontal position in the said device and axially mounted in theforward suspended end, co-acting stop means at the supported end of thedevice .for defining the normal position of the receiving member, andmeans for tilting the said member to unload the charge.

8. In combination with parallel sets of upper and lower guiding tracks.of a fur nace charging `apparatus comprising acharging` device havingits rear end suitably supported for travel along the lower tracks, andhaving its front end suspended from and guided b v the upper set oftracks, andA means for imparting reciprocative movement to ythe devicefortravel within the guiding tracks, substantiallv asl described.

9. In combination with the furnace charging platform, of a furnacecharging device embodying a movable carrier having its front endsuspended clear of the platform and its rear end `suitably supported fortravel along the platform toward the door of the furnace. and a chargereceiving meinber pivotally mounted in' the suspended front end andtiltable relativelv'of the sup ported rear end. substantiallv asdescribed.

` 10. In combination with the charging plat-form, and a guidetrackdisfurnace posed above'said platform; of a charging carrier'frame havingone end suitably supported on said platform for travel therealong andits other end suspended from the track, and a charge receiving memberaxially mounted in said suspended end and tiltable on its axisrelatively of the supported end.

11. In combination with the furnace charging platform, of a furnacecharging` device comprising a ,carrier frame having its rear endsuitably supported on the said platform for travel therealong in adirection toward the door of the'furnace and its front end suspendedindependently of .said rear end and platform and free of said platform,and .a chargereceiving member axially mounted in said suspended frontend and capable of being tilted relatively ofthe supported rear end tounload the charge at variable points in the line of travel of thedevice.

12. In combination with the furnace charging platform, of a furnacecharging device comprising a movable carrier having twol fixed axes ofwheeled support fortravel lalong rthe platform and a suspended front endnormally overhanging the platform and adapted to project into the doorof the furnace at one limit of its travel, and a tiltable charge skipreceiving member pivotally` mounted in the su'spe'ndedfront end of thecarrier and conformed to receive the wheels of the skip.

13. In a device o-fv the character described, the combination of theupper and lower related tracks disposed to extend in a direction towardthe furnace, a furnace charging device comprising a carrier operativelyassociated, with the upper track and suitably supported for travel alongthe lower track whereby the device has guided movement toward thefurnace during its said travel, and a tiltable charge receiving membermounted in the carrier.

14. In a furnace charging apparatus.l a charge delivering deviceprovided with wheels adjacent its rear end, an overhead guide track,said device having a. front end supporting member extending upwardlytherefrom to slidahly engage said track, and means pivotally connectedwith said member for reciprocating said device.

15. In a furnace charging apparatus, a charge skip receiving anddelivering device comprising in combination a movable carrier having ai'ear abutment. and a tiltable inner frame member conformed to v.receivethe wheels of the skip and pivotally mounted adjacent the front end ofthe carrier and having its free end normally resting upon the saidabutment and tiltable relatively thereto.

,16. In a device of the character described, the combination withparallel sets of tracks furnace charging device comprising a charg-'ingcarrier having a tiltable charge receiving member pivotally mountedtherein, said carrier benig-V constructed and arranged to'project'into'the furnace at one limiting position and suitablyVsupported for travel along one of the tracks and operatively engagingwithl the other of the tracks, Whereby the carrier is maintained in asubstantially horizontal relation in its travel to and from its saidlimiting position, and means for tilting the charge receiving member.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination with asubstantially horizontal charging platform and its track, of a chargingdevice comprising a carrieren- 'gaging said. track and atiltable chargereceiving member mounted in the carrier, means for advancing the saiddevice along the platform track tovvardand into aprojecting relationwith reference' to the fur. nace, and a supporting means coperating:with the track for maintaining the horizontal relation of the carrierduring said movement, said carrier beingcprovided with a memberextending to engage said last mentioned means. l

18. In a device ofthe character described, the combination with asubstantially horizontal charging platform, of a wheeled chargingcarrier having a tiltable charge receiving member mounted therein, aguide v,the furnace, and a tilting device for said receiving memberoperable to tilt said niember to unload the charge into the furnace,said guide means serving to maintain the horizontal relation of thecarrier.-

19. In furnace charging apparatus, and in combination with the chargingplatform, of a charge delivering carrier supported adjacent its rear endand adapted for travell along the platform into the door of the furnace,means coperating with said platform for suspending the` front end ofthecarrier whereby on passing through the door of the furnace said. ,frontend overhangs the charging hole of the fuiinace, and a. lchargereceiving member pivotally mounted in said cariis l iier and capable ofbeing tilted to unload the end suitably supported for travel along thecharging platform toward the furnace and a suspended forward end adaptedto project into the charging hole of the furnace. at one limit of itstravel, said receiving member bereletioni 21;In`ann apparatus of 4thecharafcterfdef s ofrbed, the combination with the charging platform, ofa guide track adjacent theref tog'afurnaee "chergingdevce comprising@tiltahle ch'ergel ree'eiving' meinberan'd e,k car# cated 'therein vanddisposed in reletively dfferentfhorizontal planes for' 'co-active move#ment-toward and from' the furnace,l 'and signed our namesinthe'presenjce of the subscribed Witnesses. Y l 4 'EUGENE A.RUDLF. l

' WILLIAM W. DOOLITTLEX Witnesses i v W. HERBERT FoWKE's,'

J. Q. COLLIER.

Wheels mounted at the respective axes oper-V etively disposed with'reference to said plat-` form and guide track, respectively.

lntesti'nony' whereof We havev hereunto

